The Chumash territory provided abundant food sources. Like many other California Indians, the
acorn
was a staple food. Other plant foods in the Chumash diet included berries, roots, and nuts. Depending on where they lived in the territory, they ate deer, rabbits, fish, or other sea creatures.
What did the Chumash sleep on?
Unlike most early Californians, the Chumash slept
in framed beds raised off the ground
and they covered themselves with skins and shawls.
What fish did Chumash eat?
The most important food for the Chumash was the acorn, which they gathered from the live oak trees. Those who lived along the coast also depended on sea food. They ate many
ocean fish (shark, sea bass, halibut, bonito)
as well as mussels, barnacles, and clams. Abalone was a main food on the islands.
Does the Chumash tribe still exist?
Today, the Chumash are estimated to have a
population of 5,000 members
. Many current members can trace their ancestors to the five islands of Channel Islands National Park.
What did Native Californians eat?
The California Indians were hunters and gatherers. They gathered
nuts, seeds, berries, roots, bulbs, and tubers
. Deer, rabbits, and game birds provided meat for these Indians. Fish also provided food the these Indians.
Did the Chumash fish?
The Chumash were a sedentary people, but
they did not cultivate the land
. Instead, they reaped the bounty of the sea. Their main diet consisted of fish, and shellfish such as mussels, abalone and clams. They also ate sea mammals like seals and otters.
What happened to the Chumash?
The Spanish invaded their lands in the late 1700's
and forced the Chumash to convert to Christianity become slave-like ‘Mission Indians'. The harsh treatment by the Spanish and then the Mexicans led to the short-lived Chumash Revolt of 1824.
What did the Chumash do for fun?
The Chumash Indians
liked to gamble
. The dice was made out of walnut shells. They played contests and played games at special ceremonies. The Chumash Indians liked to play games.
What were Chumash homes made out of?
The Chumash house, or ‘ap, was round and shaped like half an orange. It was made by
setting willow poles in the
ground in a circle. The poles were bent in at the top, to form a dome. Then smaller saplings or branches were tied on crosswise.
What was the Chumash tribe good at?
The name Chumash means “shell bead money maker.” The Chumash made delicate shell bead money (‘alchum) that they used for trade with other tribes. They were also known for
the high quality of their baskets
.
How did the Chumash people live?
Chumash people lived
in grass houses
, which are made of a domed wooden frame thatched with grass. Some of these houses were quite large (fifty feet in diameter) and could house an entire extended family. Chumash people do not live in these old-fashioned dwellings today, any more than other Americans live in log cabins.
What did the Chumash use as tools?
They
made bows and arrows usually for hunting
. They used these bows and arrows to kill animals for food, clothing, and to make other tools. They also used spears and knives to kills animals, skin animals, clean fish, and cut things like food.
Who was the chief of the Chumash tribe?
Kenneth Kahn
, tribal leader of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, talks about progress of the tribe and tribal leaders' goals.
What is the largest Native American tribe in California?
The Yurok Tribe
is the largest federally recognized Indian tribe in California and has a reservation that straddles the majestic Klamath River, extending for one mile on each side of the river, from its entry into the Pacific Ocean to approximately 45 miles upriver to the confluence with the Trinity River.
What fruit is native to California?
Perhaps the most interesting wild fruit of California is the
wild peach, or wild almond [Prunus Andersonii
] which is found on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It is a low, spreading shrub, one to six feet high.
What did the California Indians believe in?
The homes of the California Indians included wigwams and wickiups. The Religion, Ceremonies and Beliefs were based on
Animism
. Animism was a commonly shared doctrine, or belief, of the indigenous people of North America and Canada including the California Indian tribes.
